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Think on these things... 10/22/2007 7:39:48 AM
Devotional for week 3 (10.22.07) October 22, 2007
Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that all things work together for the good to them that love God, to them who are called according to HIS purpose.” KJV
As I reflect on that scripture, I can truly say I know without a doubt that is - Oh so true!!!!!
While shopping on last week - and I was actually in the exact same store I wrote about a couple of weeks ago. The ironic thing about that is I am very seldom in that store, mainly because it’s a very long drive for me to get there, but the prices are worth the distance. Also I hadn’t been there in over a year and now here I am once again there twice in one month - I heard a familiar voice. I turned to see, Greg!!!! Our paths hadn’t crossed for over a year. Yes, I keep in touch via email and from time to time we may talk briefly over the telephone, but not face to face.
I was so happy to see him and, of course, he whisked me up and gave me a bear hug as only Greg could do. He was busy so we didn’t chat long but seeing him took my mind back to our beginning.
Several years ago, I met Greg through a program at my place of employment. Greg was a recovering addict who was referred to us for job placement assistance. He completed our Job Seeking Class program but was having no success obtaining employment: although he was qualified. Greg had made a lot of mistakes in his addiction. Painful one’s I might add. And now, he had become very discouraged because no one would give him a chance for employment.
I wasn’t a part of the meeting that was taking place with Greg, his sponsoring counselor and our Placement Counselor, but I happened to walk through the classroom while the meeting was taking place. (Our building was going through renovation and I was taking the only shortcut possibleJ).
As I was walking through, for some reason I sat down. Now, of course, I know it was God but at the time it seemed more like Greg’s voice caught my attention. His voice is deep and strong. It reminds me of James Earl Jones’. I sat down to listen and I had to admit I was very impressed with this gentleman. Yet, there was such sadness in his eyes and his body language portrayed deep discouragement. Long story short, I said, “We have a position open her to teach the Job Seeking Skills class, why don’t you apply?”
It wasn’t at all easy to get the powers needed to approve hiring him, but my supervisor and I went to bat for him. Greg soon got the job!
He later shared with me that while he was in the job seeking skills training he said to himself, “I want this man’s job.” Well, the instructor had gotten promoted soon after the class and the position became open. He, Greg, was a natural. He loved the job and we soon became very fond of him. Well, until one particular day.
I received a call from the receptionist who was in training (I worked in a different location), saying, “Ms. Helen, I need to tell you something. I paged Greg to come to the office because there was a client who needed to see him. He said that he would be right out but, Ms. Helen, he never came and the client sat there for over an hour waiting for him. I finally went to his office and he wasn’t there.”
It was later determined that Greg had left for the day!!!
Things became very serious. And my supervisor requested that I investigate. I questioned Greg who denied the occurrence and stated he had left the building early that day and had reported back to the treatment house where he was living at the time. Needless to say, the investigation was long and tedious. His counselor at the treatment house adamantly stated he believed Greg had skipped out on the client. You could certainly tell there were strong negative feelings against Greg.
I talked and talked and pleaded with Greg to please tell me the truth and he stuck to his story. Finally, my supervisor said, “Give him one last chance to tell the truth”, so off to his office I went for the last time.
I have to say I was angry, weary and frustrated. Why won’t Greg stop lying?!?!
I gathered myself and went into his office to find him on his knees praying. I said, “Greg!” He looked up at me with tears streaming down his face (which was quite a shock for me, because Greg is a giant of a man) saying, “Ms. Helen, I would never lie to you, you have done so much for me.” He continued, “I keep playing that day over and over in my mind and all I can think is I must have had a black out, which is something that happens to someone who had been addicted.” From there he stated, “I’ve done a lot of bad things in my addiction and hurt a lot of people and if I have to pay for it, I understand. Ms. Helen I don’t remember doing it but I do understand if you have to fire me.”
I don’t know if I was mad or sad.
I left his office to tell my supervisor that we have to fire Greg only to be stopped by a very, how can I say, brassy, sharp tongue manager who worked in that building. She said, “Ms. Helen, come here, I need to talk to you about Greg.” Oh, I did not want to listen to her. But she was insistent. She said, “The day that this happened, Greg was not here.” I told her, “Listen, the receptionist stated that he said 'I’ll be right out'”. She came back with, “Ms. Helen, the worker from the telephone company was in Greg’s office working on the phone lines that afternoon.” He, the worker, came out to me to see if I had paged him!!! WOW!!!!
That was in 1995. Greg and I worked together for 5 years and he was an exceptional worker. Our paths went in different directions but our hearts have stayed closely knit. So close that about a year and half ago, he called my son Marquis to get him to apply for a position at the Youth Treatment Center where Greg is now employed. Now those of you who read last week’s message know where I’m headed.
Remember while working at the treatment center God used my son, Marquis, to help save a young man who had attempted suicide by hanging himself. Some ten years or so later, God had worked Greg’s and my meeting together for the good of the welfare of that young man, I probably may never meet; however, that surely doesn’t matter to me.
What if Greg hadn’t been willing to accept the consequences for the things he had done and the people he hurt in his addiction, even though what he was being accused of something HE DIDN’T DO. Could this have been a test for Greg to see if he had sincerely accepted responsibility for the actions of his past and learned from them? Was his acts of repentance really lamenting or repenting? (To repent means to change, to turn.) What if I hadn’t taken the time out to listen to the manager because I was hurt, tired and frustrated? What if I had allowed my emotions to hinder me from hearing the real truth? What if I would have told Greg how ungrateful he was for the opportunity he had been given for a fresh start? I sure have learned, just because I have something to say, doesn’t always mean I SHOULD SAY IT.
No, we can’t live our lives with the “What if’s” but remember sometimes the facts and the truth are just not the same. Once again, it sure is something to think about.
